I dont know about you, I have come full circle. I use to fish with all kinds of stuff, danny king and sure shot works the best for me, I use to use liver, brains, cut up a frog once... oh yea clams, those are dang good catfish bait. 6 rod and reel with 18 hooks 3 on each line. Now I got a new trick, I go to a cove that the waves are pushing in to, like if the wind is north I go to the northern most part of the lake, THEN there I find a sheltered cove. some times if the waves are too rough I just go there park my boat up on the bank ( because I am tired of messin with the anchor) and I cast 1 line out with 2 small treble hooks on it and I only use sure shot now, that is a true killer. So I put that line out there and no matter how much the boat is moving or how many cigarettes I am smokin, or whatever beer is spillen everywhere, I sit there and hold that rod perfectly still and I dont drag it on the bottom for nothin. If I can leave it out there for about 5 or 10 minutes I will catch one. 1 thing is for sure though: it is all in your head, I just concentrate on the bait being in the perfect spot and I envision it sitting there right up off the bottom with the 2 hooks dangling down with nasty stinky bait all over them and then BAM! I will set the hook I dont care if it is the smallest catfish ever. just get that first one out of the way, I always throw the first one back too for good luck. So then I put the more bait on there and cast the line out with the same motion right into the exact same spot. You should try begging the lake to give you dinner, that works for me too sometimes.

You do not need all thise fancy rigs for channel cats. Sinker, swivel, 12" leader, #6 treble hook, punch bait. Chum as needed.

Big fish eat little fish. Find little fish and you will find bigger fish almost every time. If you don't see little fish activity or can't mark them then keep lookin until you do.

Right now the mega bite is tough on some lakes because shad are literally everywhere. You can usually drag a few home if you are fishing where the bait is though.

could be holding your mouth the wrong way,or tilt your cap to a 30 degree angle.that should do it.

Ivie can be tempermental,for sure. I'm there several times a month, and I get skunked every now and then. As low as it's gotten, it's been a major re-education over the last couple of years of where to find the fish. I still fish the north end of the lake almost exclusively - around Leaday and Grape Creek - and can usually put a few fish in the box. Good luck next time you're out.

You might try fishing some of the local ponds stocked by tpwd to practice techniques and build confidence. Keep it simple , dont over think it and have fun. You will be catching them before too long. Gl

Philpot! Welcome back!!

Sure Shot and holding your mouth in the right way and well throw the cap on the bottom of the boat and yell COME ON FISH!!!! then put you hat back on at 30 degree angle but AND is say but scratch your a$$ to LOL
Sure shot bait changed my cat fishing from not catching much to catching every time I have used it.